welcome to bbc news — broadcasting to viewers in the uk and around the world. we begin in bolivia where hundreds of soldiers, with armoured vehicles, have withdrawn from the presidential palace after what appeared to be an attempted military coup. and generaljuanjose zuniga, leader of the coup attempt, and former commander of the bolivian armed forces, has just been arrested by the bolivian police. heavily armed troops had taken over the main square in la paz, with one armoured car trying to ram the doors of the presidential palace. bolivia's president luis arce denounced what he called the "irregular mobilization by some units of the bolivian army", saying "democracy must be respected". he then addressed the nation, alongside his cabinet, calling on the bolivian people and social groups to mobilise against the attempted coup. and in the past hour, the president and vice president have greeted

supporters in the plaza murillo after police retook control. the public prosecutor's office says it's to launch a criminal investigation against a top general, juanjose zuniga and others for leading the insurrection. the bbc�*sjose carlos cueto explains the wider context behind this attempted coup. what was going on today in bolivia, we need to first look at the current situation of the country. a country is experiencing an economic crisis. especially with energy scarcity. this has sparked several demonstrations and protests over the last few months but especially we need to look at the rivalry that the current president and former president have in the

country and with many supporters issue is that morales was disqualified from running for the presidential election in 2025 by a constitutional court in the last december. but he still insists on his chance to run for the presidency. and this is a movement, declaration, a constituent that is heavily criticised by many in bolivia, including the president. and including the military leader who led today the mobilisation of the armed troops in the square plaza, where the presidential building is. zuniga was dismissed from his charge yesterday, tuesday after certain declarations that he said against morales in which he said that he would impede him

to rise to the presidency, let's say go against the constitution and for that reason, he used quite strong language that was interpreted in bolivia as the main reason why he was dismissed from his charge, even though he was appointed himself in november 2022. thank you for that context. what has been the reaction then from around the region to these developments? there has been an overall condemnation from many leaders in the region, including mexico's president, and in colomia, and lula da silva in brazil. they have all referred to the situation, what's going on in bolivia as an attempt of a coup d'etat. the white house also called for the situation to calm down in bolivia. and former president morales, he called for a defence of democracy.

wikileaks founderjulian assange is begining his first day as a free man in his home country. he reached a plea bargain with the american authorities — pleading guilty to a single charge of conspiracy. it's the end of a m years legal odyssey, in which he battled with us officials who accused him of leaking classified documents. our australia correspondent katy watson reports. cheering and applause. a political win for australia. a personal victory for julian assange and his family. this is a homecoming they've long been waiting for. so too his supporters. there's no words to do it justice, to be honest. i've got the shakes, i've had the jitters, we can't eat for the last two days, i can't sleep. do you think opinion will be divided that he gave one guilty plea? how does that make you feel? it's a figleaf for america, you know? they didn't even have the decency to just accept that they'd already been told

that the appeal was going to be...likely to be successful. shortly after landing he was whisked away, his first night of freedom. supporters have come to the hotel wherejulian assange is staying in the hope of catching a glimpse of him. these people have been campaigning for years. it was a concerted effort of politicians and diplomats here in australia talking to the us who made a difference in bringing him home. for those anxious to hear assange�*s story, they will have to wait a while longer. julian wanted me to sincerely thank everyone. he wanted to be here. but you have to understand what he's been through. he needs time, he needs to recuperate. and this is a process. in the packed press conference, much praise was heaped on australia's prime minister for making this happen. the prime minister was the first person to get on the phone to speak to

julian _ julian thanked him and the team and told the prime minister that he had saved his life. the two men spoke on the phone after assange landed, but haven't yet met. i believe in standing up for australian citizens, and i've made that very clear. i made it clear from the beginning. i had the same position as opposition leader on all of these issues as i've had as prime minister. and as prime minister of australia, you have an opportunity to make a difference. this marks the end of an epic journey forjulian assange, back on home turf. and with that, an end to 14 years of legal battles and diplomatic headaches. katy watson, bbc news, canberra. earlier, my colleague caitriona perry spoke tojulian assange�*s brother who is also the chairperson of the assange campaign, gabriel shipton. mr shipton has been campaigning for assange�*s release for years including when he visited washington dc last year as part

of a bipartisan delegation of austrialian parliamentarians. he told her what was next for his brother. the plea he had to sign, his essentially signed a plea that says he is guilty ofjournalism and the whole thing has been hijacked and the plea describes journalism so it is a criminalisation of investigative journalism and of the journalist source relationship, so it will have an incredible chilling effect on national securityjournalism in one of the only way is to wipe it off the books is to pursue a pardon forjulian and thatis pursue a pardon forjulian and that is what we will be doing. the biden administration has said many times they can't interfere in the department of justice and their proceedings, so those are now over and so now the biden administration has a chance to really correct

the record and do the right thing. the new york times has called on the biden administration to bring this prosecution to an end, as has all of the press freedom organisations in the us, the largest human rights organisations, amnesty, human rights watch have written multiple letters to the biden administration so there's plenty of good will for them to take up now by giving this plea and standing up for press freedom and saying investigative journalism and national security journalism investigative journalism and national securityjournalism is not a crime. the trial has finally begun in moscow of evan gershkovich, an americanjournalist for the wall streetjournal who russian authorities have accused of spying. he's been imprisoned for nearly fifteen months, but today he appeared in court, head shaven and standing in a glass cage. if convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in a penal colony. our russia editor steve rosenberg was in court. this is evan gershkovich, after 15 months in a russian jail, awaiting trial.

russian prosecutors call him a spy. america says he's being held hostage. as his trial opened, some smiles. but, if convicted, the us journalist faces up to 20 years in a russian prison. so, we managed to see evan gershkovich briefly. but, from this moment on, this trial will be behind closed doors. so, no family members, no diplomats, no media allowed in. the next time we may be able to see the american journalist will be at the end of his trial. he was arrested on a reporting assignment here in yekaterinburg and accused of collecting information for the cia. evan gershkovich, his employer, the wall streetjournal, and the us government fiercely deny it and call the trial a sham. this is a bogus process. this is outrageous and outlandish. he will not enjoy any

of the due process that one would expect in the west, in any western court. it will be closed door, it will be secret. we don't expect any chance, really, of his being acquitted. but could there be a prisoner swap? it's happened before. in 2022, russia freed us basketball star brittney griner, injail on a drugs charge. in return, america released russian arms dealer viktor bout. there's no guarantee though. former marine paul whelan was convicted of spying four years ago in russia. the us insists he is wrongfully detained but hasn't secured his release. and, despite us—russian contacts over evan gershkovich, there is no sign yet of a deal that would bring him home. steve rosenberg, bbc news, yekaterinburg. of the wall streetjournal, who managed evan gershkovich this

let's speak more to deborah ball — the asia editor of the wall streetjournal, who managed evan gershkovich directly in her previous role as deputy world editor. could to speak to you. you told my colleague steve rosenberg there that this trial is a bogus process. why do you think russia has brought the charges? it's extraordinary difficult to understand what the game is and how the trial fits into the thing. when they've gone to the this thing before, certain areas involving prisoner swaps they've held a trial and convicted somebody is part of the process and to be clear, as i've said before it's bogus from the us administration thinks this. this is that they have an american spy may be betterfor have an american spy may be better for domestic consumption and it is for the us. you

better for domestic consumption and it is for the us.— and it is for the us. you have worked with _ and it is for the us. you have worked with evan _ and it is for the us. you have worked with evan directly. i and it is for the us. you have l worked with evan directly. can you tell us about him as a person and a journalist? person and a “ournalist? he's an person and a journalist? he's an extraordinary _ person and a journalist? he's an extraordinary man - person and a journalist? he's an extraordinary man and - person and a journalist? he�*s an extraordinary man and when he walked into the newsroom at the beginning of 2022 we knew we had a winner, one of those reporters who is hungry and talented and new russia terribly well and was insightful in thinking about how to approach stories and really a huge success in his reporting for it out and he was with this out the war started and you can now, he's really showing extraordinary grace and humour in the midst of this ordeal and be right to him and he writes back to us and he chokes and tell stories and we have huge admiration for how he is bearing up. so have huge admiration for how he is bearing urn-— is bearing up. so you are able to have contact _ is bearing up. so you are able to have contact with - is bearing up. so you are able to have contact with him. - is bearing up. so you are able to have contact with him. can| to have contact with him. can you tell us how he is doing or efforts you have made to get

him released?— him released? he's received thousands — him released? he's received thousands of _ him released? he's received thousands of letters - him released? he's received thousands of letters and - him released? he's received thousands of letters and all| him released? he's received i thousands of letters and all of his friends and families and colleagues write to him and they do permit letters in. the letters are funny and useful of gossip and is dying for gossip from the outside world. we send him news articles and he is apparently playing a correspondence game of chess with his father and get exercise every day and has a routine now, meditation, exercise, a lot of reading and that seems to keep on going and his circumstances will change a bit now he's in the different present he had been him in the isolated mu —— unit in moscow and things will be different. what are you preparing going forward from this? if there is no acquittal, where does it leave the efforts to get him returned? i leave the efforts to get him returned?— leave the efforts to get him returned? i think the trial is returned? i think the trial is pretty separate _ returned? i think the trial is pretty separate from - returned? i think the trial is pretty separate from the . pretty separate from the political conversations going on between the us and russia on

this. the next hearing will be in mid august and we do not even know, we can't figure out what it suggests about how the russians will play this entire thing that we do know both sides have been public and open about the fact that there are contacts and vladimir putin has been open about the fact that this is a prisoner swap, hostage diplomacy no more than that. so how the trail flicked into it is part of the theatre of this entire process and i think it is separate from the process that will ultimately free evan. process that will ultimately free evan-— process that will ultimately free evan. , ., ., ~ free evan. deborah, thank you for speaking — free evan. deborah, thank you for speaking to _ free evan. deborah, thank you for speaking to us, _ free evan. deborah, thank you for speaking to us, asia - free evan. deborah, thank you for speaking to us, asia editorj for speaking to us, asia editor of the wall streetjournal. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

to a story that has been making news in the past week —

around 1,300 people are estimated to have died during the pilgrimage to mecca, with many more suffering heatstroke as temperatures reached more than 50 degrees celsius last week. saudi arabia has come under criticism for not making the hajj safer for pilgrims, with reports of lack of access to water and shelter on the route. i'm joined by zarif rahman, whose father syed went missing 11 days ago. thank you forjoining me to talk about this in this difficult situation for you. can you share with us what you know about what happened to your father?— know about what happened to our father? ., ,, i. . your father? thank you so much for having _ your father? thank you so much for having me — your father? thank you so much for having me here. _ your father? thank you so much for having me here. my - your father? thank you so much for having me here. my father. for having me here. my father went to hajj and we just lost contact with him after the 16th and on that day we reported it to the local authorities but ever since then we've been receiving misleading information from the saudi authorities and different

authorities and different authorities have provided different information such as my father went to a hotel and then they told us that my father is dead. we are yet to receive any concrete evidence as to whether he is alive or dead. ., , ., as to whether he is alive or dead. . , . , as to whether he is alive or dead. . _, , p dead. that is a very difficult situation — dead. that is a very difficult situation that _ dead. that is a very difficult situation that you _ dead. that is a very difficult situation that you find - situation that you find yourself in. what course of action are you pursuing to get to the bottom of what happened to the bottom of what happened to your father? {lin to the bottom of what happened to your father?— to your father? on the 16th, that day on _ to your father? on the 16th, that day on my _ to your father? on the 16th, that day on my information, j that day on my information, because my mother was there, they got lost in the crowd and my father went to the saudi authorities twice to inform them that he was lost and they rescued him and told him to wait until eight o'clock and my father waited there until ten o'clock and they did not provide any support and then my father because he is 71, he did not receive any water and had to walk for 80 kilometres after

that and after that my mother, she lost contact with my father and then it's been 11 days until now and we are yet to receive any concrete answer from the authorities and on the 16th they said my father returned to the hotel and we could not find any evidence because we tried to look at the cctv footage and there was nothing there and on the 19th of they said that he is dead in a stampede and his body, we were unable to do anything on the 21st and we were given a death certificate issued five days later and on the 21st it was issued. my question is, how can you take the dead body out of the mortuary without issuing the death certificate. it's a massive violation of human rights. we are unable to locate

him and they are unable to provide any evidence as to if he is dead or alive.- he is dead or alive. this is a very difficult _ he is dead or alive. this is a very difficult situation - he is dead or alive. this is a very difficult situation you l very difficult situation you find yourself in and thank you for speaking to us. i want to get your view on how you see saudi authorities and how they have dealt with the heat, the extreme heat experienced in macau because your story is a similar one we have been reporting, 1300 people have been reported dead during this years hajj. been reported dead during this ears ha". , been reported dead during this years hali— years ha". yes, first of all as er years hajj. yes, first of all as per my _ years hajj. yes, first of all as per my information, . years hajj. yes, first of all| as per my information, the number you are mentioning, 1300, whatever, it's more than 10% of the number of people who died over there, and now what the local authorities are saying is these are the illegal

immigrants who went there to perform the hajj on the other 90% are basically illegal immigrants. iam 90% are basically illegal immigrants. i am yet to receive any information on my father paid around $15,000 to go there for a0 days. it's a huge amount of money. it's not a charity. so i'm not asking any of the saudi authorities to provide me any luxury. it'sjust saudi authorities to provide me any luxury. it's just the saudi authorities to provide me any luxury. it'sjust the basic facility, just provide the proper safe drinking water. and if somebody is lost, it's not like he was murdered, it happens every year. so why do they not like make this safer ijy they not like make this safer by providing proper volunteers or proper instruction over there and access to drinking water or food. there and access to drinking water orfood. it there and access to drinking water or food. it was 52 degrees on monday and my father had to walk 18 kilometres without any proper drinking

water. ., ~' , ., without any proper drinking water. . ,, , ., ., without any proper drinking water. . ,, ., ., ,, ., water. thank you for talking to us and telling _ water. thank you for talking to us and telling us _ water. thank you for talking to us and telling us your- water. thank you for talking to us and telling us your story - us and telling us your story today. the kenyan president has scrapped a finance bill that had provoked huge protests across the country. in an address to the nation william ruto said it was clear kenyans "want nothing" to do with it. the u—turn comes after at least 22 people were killed during demonstrations in which parliament was ransacked and the city hall was set alight. ann soy has more from nairobi. they found their youth and voice across the country to denounce. the result was unshakeable and it has now paid off. i unshakeable and it has now paid off. ., ., , off. i run a government but i also need — off. i run a government but i also need people. _ off. i run a government but i also need people. and - off. i run a government but i also need people. and the i

also need people. and the people have spoken. the news many had _ people have spoken. the news many had longed _ people have spoken. the news many had longed to _ people have spoken. the news many had longed to hear. - people have spoken. the news many had longed to hear. i - many had longed to hear. i can't believe it. i _ many had longed to hear. i can't believe it. i can't - can't believe it. i can't believe _ can't believe it. i can't believe it. _ can't believe it. i can't believe it. it's - can't believe it. i can't believe it. it's good i can't believe it. i can't| believe it. it's good for can't believe it. i can't - believe it. it's good for him, listening _ believe it. it's good for him, listening to _ believe it. it's good for him, listening to him _ believe it. it's good for him, listening to him in _ believe it. it's good for him, listening to him in the - believe it. it's good for him, listening to him in the nextl listening to him in the next generation because he always told us that they were the leaders of tomorrow. the streets here _ leaders of tomorrow. the streets here are - leaders of tomorrow. the streets here are dirty - leaders of tomorrow. the streets here are dirty from all of the chaos of the past week but many are relieved and they will be watching for the steps the government will be taking especially to feel the hole in the budget would stop withdrawal leaves. the ultimate concession comes at a huge cost. traders have been counting their losses after gangs took advantage of the process to attack businesses. i would say those who are not demonstrators, because we literraly cried unto them for them not to kill us, but they dropped their doors as they dropped their petrol bombs. so they lock you in there? they have taken _ so they lock you in there? they have taken everything. - so they lock you in there? they have taken everything. not only taking _ have taken everything. not only taking the item, but also they

tried — taking the item, but also they tried to — taking the item, but also they tried to break items. they did not come _ tried to break items. they did not come with good intentions. their_ not come with good intentions. their intentions were to destroy. the protests were met with brutal and sometimes deadly force. many feel the death and destruction could have been avoided had the president acted sooner. the hope now is that the u—turn helps restore calm in the country. anne soy, bbc news, nairobi. the usjustice department has reached an agreement with fugitive financierjho low to return more than $100 million, allegedly embezzled from malaysia's state—owned wealth fund as part of the 1mdb scandal. mr low, a wanted fugitive, remains at large, with his whereabouts unknown. a us soldier has been charged with the kidnapping and rape of a teenage girl in okinawa, a japanese island chain that hosts the region's largest american military base. the alleged sexual assault took place in december, but it's only now come to light. it's likely to stoke the long—standing local opposition to us military presence there. the un says thailand has become the biggest

single supplier of weapons to myanmar�*s military authorities, despite sanctions. it says thai companies and banks — with no government involvement — are helping to keep the military going. the un says these supplies are being used to conduct a campaign of violence and brutality. the most valuable harry potter item ever sold at auction has fetched $1.9 million in new york. it's the original watercolour illustration for the first edition of "harry potter and the philosopher's stone" — the book byjk rowling that introduced the world to the young wizard in 1996. the artwork by thomas taylor sold for more than three times the expected price. only 500 copies of the first edition were printed before it became

a runaway success. that's all for now. stay with bbc news. hello there. wednesday was the warmest day of the year so far, with 31 celsius reached in wisley in surrey. but that's the last of these sorts of temperatures for now. it does look like for the rest of the week, into the weekend, it's going to be turning fresher for all areas and the winds will be picking up as well. but we'll still have quite a bit of sunshine around. now, the change is all courtesy of this area of low pressure, pretty deep for the time of year, pushing to the north and the west of the country, where it'll bring significant winds and some rain. but the cold front associated with it will spread across the country, pushing the warm and humid air back out to the near continent. this is the cold front — barely anything on it as it

reaches southern and eastern england. but it will bring a change to the air temperature. plenty of sunshine here, but windy with showers or long spells of rain for north—west england, north wales, northern ireland and into scotland. so temperatures here much lower than of late. highs of 2a to 25 degrees across the south—east. but warmer along north sea coasts, as we've lost the onshore breeze. but it will be a very blustery end to the day for thursday. gales across the far west of scotland, far north of northern ireland, showers or longer spells of rain, whereas i think as we head through thursday nights across much of england and wales, it should be largely dry with some clear spells. lighter winds the further south that you are. but it will be a cooler night to come for all, with temperatures 10 to around 12 degrees. so as we head into friday, then, we see that area of low pressure pulling away from the north of the uk, but it will take its time. it stays quite windy, blustery, with outbreaks of rain across scotland, whereas for england and wales, closer to a ridge of high pressure. so the further north that you are, it will be windier with showers or longer

spells of rain. the further south that you are, variable cloud, but some good spells of sunshine. and i think for many, it will stay dry on friday. temperatures perhaps reaching around 23, maybe 2a degrees. otherwise, it's the mid to high teens further north, so you can see that cooler trend is continuing. into the start of the weekend, bit of a question mark on it, but it looks like this area of weather fronts will bring thicker cloud and outbreaks of rain to the central slice of the uk through the day. to the north of it, it stays quite blustery with sunshine and showers, feeling cool. but some good sunny spells across the south and south—east could put temperatures up to around 25 celsius, so feeling quite warm again, but cooler further north. but as we head into part two of the weekend, it does look like it'll be cloudy with some further spots of rain and feeling cooler for all.

allegations from a new boeing whistleblower, this time over the company's signature dreamlinerjet. plus, ahead of the first us presidential debate, we'll look at why jobs may not translate to votes. hello, a warm welcome. i'm steve lai.

let's begin in the us, where boeing is facing yet another whistleblower�*s claim — this time, over improper manufacturing of the plane—maker's signature plane—maker's signature dreamliner jet. the bbc�*s erin delmore reports. he was contracted by boeing's supplier to work on a 787 dreamliner in mark 2023. at issueis dreamliner in mark 2023. at issue is the aeroplane's forward pressure bulkhead located on the plane's knows, and it's important for maintaining cabin pressure. he says your aerosystems made changes to manufacturing and assembly specification without billing's permission. boeing's quality control and safety record have been in the spotlight since a door plug blew out of a 737 match line jet mid—flight injanuary. and since 2018 and 2019, when two

boeing planes crashed,